Health minister Aceng joins four others in race for Lira MP seat

The Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, has declared her intention to run against the incumbent, Ms Joy Atim Ongom, for the Lira District woman Member of Parliament in the 2021 polls.
Dr Aceng, who served as a medical superintendent and director of Lira Regional Referral Hospital in Lira District for 15 years, declared to the press on Sunday that she is prepared to take up the political position.

“And so today, I want to declare openly that I am taking up a political position as a representative of the women in Lira District (in Parliament), and I will contest for the position,” Dr Aceng said, adding that she will contest on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket.

“I want to appreciate the people of Lango for their great love and support but most of all for their prayers,” she added.
“They prayed for me when I worked here for over 15 years; we lived among them, they loved us and gave me a lot of blessings to go when I was picked by President Museveni to go and work as the Director General of Health Services. And in their commitment, they continued to pray and I was appointed minister, a position that I still hold up to date,” Dr Aceng said.
“And I am also sure that since the people of Lango have seen the good in me, and encouraged me and prayed for me, they will also see the good in me and vote for me,” the minister told journalists at Alpha Resort Hotel in Lira Town.
Dr Laury Lawrence Ocen, the Okarowok Wibye acel clan head, has said he will fully support Dr Aceng’s candidacy.

“Dr Aceng is a person whose track record speaks for itself. She has had a history of excellent service in Lira District as a medical superintendent and as a director of Lira Regional Referral Hospital, and as a Director General of health services in the whole of Uganda and lately as the Minister of Health,” Dr Ocen, the author of Alien Woman, said.
“We would like to salute her and congratulate her and say that every Ugandan who believes in progress should come out wholeheartedly and support Dr Jane Ruth Aceng for a very very noble cause of development, development which cuts across all boundaries,” he added.
In 2011, Dr Aceng was appointed by President Museveni as the Director General of Health Services and on June 6, 2016 she was appointed minister of Health, a position she holds up to date.

But for Dr Aceng to sail through, she has to win the voters’ hearts since she is not alone in the race. She will have to tussle it out with the incumbent, Ms Atim (UPC) and three others, who are also eyeing the same seat.
Ms Linda Auma, now the Resident District Commissioner of Amuru, has also declared interest in running for the seat. Ms Auma stood on the NRM ticket but was defeated by Ms Atim in 2016.
Other aspirants are Ms Gloria Akello and Ms Sarah Awor Angweri, both said to be contesting on the NRM ticket.
Ms Angela Santa, Ms Atim’s political assistant, told Daily Monitor on Monday that she is not moved by Dr Aceng’s declaration.

“She (Dr Aceng) is running against Joy but not to work for the people of Lira. The only influential woman MP in Lango is Joy because she has done a lot for the people of Lango,” Ms Santa said on phone, adding that MP Atim lobbied for the establishment of Agali Seed School in Agali Sub-county, and Lira University, all in Lira District.
“The minister should not be surprised when those people who advised and encouraged her to run for political position abandon her.”
In the 2016 polls, the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) party swept almost all MP seats in Lira, except Erute North Constituency which was won by FDC.
The mayor of Lira, the Lira LC5 chairman and majority of their councilors are all UPC.

Mr Sam Engola, the NRM vice chairperson for northern Uganda, also the former State Minister for Housing, said the party has welcomed Dr Aceng to run for the seat.
“As the chairman, I have told them that whoever will be elected flag bearer during the NRM primaries, we shall support that person,” he said.
The NRM spokesperson in Lira, Mr Jacob Ocen, said any member who meets “national legal requirements” is allowed to contest for the party flag at any level.
“Dr Aceng is welcomed but she has to work very hard to compete with three other members to become the official flag bearer. But when she fails to make it through the NRM primaries, she should respect the decision of the party not to run as an independent candidate,” Mr Ocen said.

Dr Aceng, who is married in Lira District, has chosen to contest in a place she has worked and lived in for 15 years.
On Sunday, the minister declined to take any questions from journalists regarding her intention to run for a political position in Lira, arguing that the campaigns have not yet started officially.

Background: Minister Ruth Aceng
Dr Aceng, (born May 11, 1968 in Oyam District) was until June 2016 the Director General of Medical Services in the Ministry of Health. She attended Shimoni Primary School in Kampala, Nabisunsa Girls Secondary School and holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, a Master of Medicine in Pediatrics, and a Master of Public Health, all from the Makerere University College of Health Sciences. She also holds a Diploma in Health Systems Management awarded by the Galilee International Management Institute in Israel.

She is a paediatrician and is currently at the level of senior consultant paediatric. Dr Aceng has vast experience both as a manager and practicing medical personnel, which she accumulated while serving in various capacities; as medical officer, senior medical officer, medical officer special grade, medical superintendent, consultant paediatrician, hospital director and Director General of Health Services.